Unforgettable Birthday
by btamamura
Summary: Albert has something very special planned for his beloved this year to celebrate her birthday. Written in Albert's POV, present-tense. Pairing: Albert x my friend
1. Awaiting a Response

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own Albert the Fifth Musketeer, or the characters. I also do not own the female in this fic as she is actually based off a real person._

**Notes: **_**Here is a new birthday fic for my friend **__bluefirevixon__**. I am so sorry that this is much later than expected! Writer's block can be very cruel at times...**_

_**This fic has been written with a change; I decided to try writing Albert's point of view this time around. Also, we don't know a lot about his family or his past in general, so what's written is headcanon with some assistance from the birthday girl.**_

_**This fic contains the romantic pairing of Albert x my friend, who for safety reasons will not have her name revealed in the story. Instead, Albert will address/refer to her as **__My Lady, Mon Amour (My Love) __**or**__ Mon Cherie (My Dear)__**. You have been informed.**_

As I ride back to the de Treville mansion, I'm smiling. It isn't because of a successful mission, though that does bring the satisfaction of a job well done. I had been granted time to spend with my fair lady as she was not required to stand by Her Majesty's side. We had spent some time in the palace gardens that were tended to by my old friend Andre le Notre; some moments of talking, some of shared, peaceful silence. We enjoyed each other's company, just as we had since we met. Before we had to part ways, I made a proposal.

Her birthday is fast approaching. Last year, we were unable to spend it together because of her duty as Her Majesty's bodyguard, so I gave her a gift that could be seen from afar in the form of a fireworks display. To my relief, she not only witnessed it, she was most pleased with my surprise in the sky. This year, I wish to make her birthday one to remember. I wish to have a romantic twilight picnic with her, where I not only plan to treat her like a princess, but give her a surprise she will not expect.

We have been courting for three years, and I've grown to love her more and more each day. I wish for us to spend the rest of our lives together. My plan is to propose marriage to her as the picnic winds to a close. I have already asked of Her Majesty and Captain de Treville if I shall be able to, and they granted their consent. They know that even if _Mon Amour_ and I were to wed, it would not interfere with our duties; mine as one of the King's Musketeers, and hers of being the bodyguard in service to the Queen. I know this; no matter her response, I shall continue to love her.

I am now in my workshop; gazing at the portrait of her that sits atop my workbench and awaiting the arrival of her messenger duck. I did not tell her what I have planned, but I did ask if it was possible for us to have some time together to celebrate the anniversary of her birth. Because of her duty, she was unable to respond right away with an affirmative or negative. She did, however, say she would speak with Her Majesty and request a day of leave and then send me a letter to inform if it was possible or not. Thankfully, there tends to be days of peace following a mission in which we thwart the wicked schemes of Cardinal Richelieu and Milady de Winter, so there may be a chance she won't have to remain by Her Majesty's side until things start to stir once again.

The feathered fowl makes a graceful landing before me. It's untying the string around the note attached securely to its leg. It then took the note into its bill and presented it to me before flapping its wings and taking flight.

My heart is pounding in anticipation as I unfurl the note and read _Mon Cherie's_ handwriting.

_**My gallant Albert, after seeking consent from Her Majesty, I can finally give you my response. As long as there is no sign of trouble leading to the day, I am granted a day of leave so that we may spend my birthday together. Her Majesty claims she has faith that all will be well.**_

Her name's scrawled on the bottom, and my heart swells. There's a chance for me to put my plan into action.

I rise to my feet and walk to my planning desk. I open the largest drawer and lift the lid of the box safely stored inside. With that, I set the letter inside before returning the lid atop the box and pushing the drawer closed. Ever since I realised just how much I love her, I have kept every letter she has sent. I am not at a point of obsession; I treasure everything she has sent my way and if my memory should one day begin to leave me, I have the physical reminders of every exchange we've made.

I'm gazing at her portrait once again. Her dark hair, twinkling eyes and gentle smile are among her best features that are visible to the human eye. What made me love her was much more than that; she is brave, strong, and above all, she has a kind, generous, loving heart. It didn't take long for us to form a friendship after we first met. As time passed, I realised I felt more than just camaraderie towards her. I had fallen in love. I was anxious to tell her the extent of my feelings, and may never have if it wasn't for the encouragement my friends and brother the Musketeers offered. If I hadn't said anything to her, I may never have found out that she felt the same way for me as I do for her.

I pick up the portrait and gently press my lips to it. "_Je t'amour,_ _Mon Cherie_," I whisper. It had become a ritual to do this whenever I would begin work on an invention or mix up a new and improved batch of my ammunition.

I'm humming to myself as I move around my workshop. I not only have an idea for a new invention, I'm also considering what I shall do for our twilight picnic. Her favourite food and beverage must be on the menu, and I shall surprise her by playing a song.

It's common for those from noble families to learn how to play at least one musical instrument. Even though I was raised in a quiet village, my father is from a noble lineage; he and my mother - bless her soul - preferred the simple life and chose not to inform anybody else. I'd been raised without the knowledge of Papa's lineage until I'd decided I wished to follow in his footsteps and become a Musketeer. Between training and the usual lessons one goes through growing up, I'd also been tutored on how to play a musical instrument. By the luck of fate, that instrument is the one _Mon Amour_ favours. She is unaware I play it, so I shall surprise her by serenading her with a song. I have not played for a long time, so I will have to practice. I only hope it hasn't been so long I've gotten rusty.

**After-note: **_**As mentioned earlier, **__Mon Amour__** means **__My Love__**, and **__Mon Cherie__** means **__My Dear__**. **__Mon__** is used as it is a male using the "my", while **__Cherie__** is written in the feminine spelling.**_

_Je t'amour__** is a way of saying **__I love you__**, similar to **__je t'aime__**. However, the latter sounds more appropriate for friends and family while the former seems more suited for romantic love.**_


	2. Evening of Surprises

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own Albert the Fifth Musketeer, or the characters. I also do not own the female in this fic as she is actually based off a real person._

**Notes: **_**Here is a new birthday fic for my friend **__bluefirevixon__**. I am so sorry that this is much later than expected! Writer's block can be very cruel at times...**_

_**This fic has been written with a change; I decided to try writing Albert's point of view this time around. Also, we don't know a lot about his family or his past in general, so what's written is headcanon with some assistance from the birthday girl.**_

_**This fic contains the romantic pairing of Albert x my friend, who for safety reasons will not have her name revealed in the story. Instead, Albert will address/refer to her as **__My Lady, Mon Amour (My Love) __**or**__ Mon Cherie (My Dear)__**. You have been informed.**_

The time has arrived; it is _Mon Amour's_ birthday. I have made my best batch of spaghetti bolognese, one that only she will have the pleasure of tasting. I have squeezed enough juice to ensure it won't run out before the evening is through. The weather is pleasant enough, though I have also packed a blanket she can wrap around herself should the evening air become chilly. I have practised the song I plan to play for her so many times there is very little chance of any errors. Thankfully, I hadn't forgotten everything I had been taught.

Everything has been packed with care, and I've even come up with devices that can keep the food hot and the juice cold. I mount my mule and ride off to the Louvre, where I shall meet with her before we ride to the ideal location for us to have our twilight picnic. As I ride, I continue running through my mind the words I plan to say. Please allow me to say them clearly once the time arrives...

As we tend to, we ride in contented silence to the location I'd found to be appropriate for our picnic. Words weren't always required; just being in each other's presence can be more than enough.

Upon arrival, I dismount my mule and stroke his neck to thank him for carrying me here. I then step over to _Mon Amour_ and offer assistance as she dismounts her horse. Once her feet are on the ground, I remove my hat while bowing before kissing the back of her hand. "_Joyeaux anniversaire, Mon Amour_. For this evening, I have prepared a picnic for us to share." I raise my eyes and notice the tender smile gracing her lips. My heart is soaring at the sight, but I cannot allow myself to be distracted. I quickly tend to laying out the picnic blanket and set the basket in the middle. I return to her side. "May I escort you to your picnic, My Lady?" She places her hand on mine and my thumb embraces her hand as we walk side-by-side in perfect step to the blanket. I do not remove my hand from hers until she is seated on the blanket, her legs tucked close to her body in a very lady-like manner. Before I have the chance to release her hand and move to my side of the blanket, I feel her free hand stroking my cheek tenderly. I smile gently as I lean forward, tilting my head slightly to the side so there is less chance of our noses bumping into each other as our lips meet. We share the tender kiss for a few seconds before it ends, and we gaze into each other's eyes. Her cheeks are tinged with pink; judging by the widening of her smile, mine have also coloured. "My Lady..." With reluctance, I release her hand as she lowers her other from my cheek. I step around the blanket until I am opposite her and sit down. "Would My Lady like some juice?" She responds with a nod as her melodic voice states an affirmative response. I shift closer to the basket and open it, reaching in and pulling out a container as well as two metal cups. The container feels like it is at moderate temperature, but due to the materials it is made of, the contents will be as cold as would be preferred. Thank goodness there was enough of a chill during the night over the previous days for me to be able to keep it cool enough.

I open the container and pour some of the contents into one of the cups. "I hope this is to your liking." I hand the cup to _Mon Amour_ and watch as she accepts it, but does not have a sip. I pour some into the second cup. "My Lady, a toast to you. May this next year bring you just as many joys as I wish for your entire future." We bring the cups together once before taking a sip. I hear her let out a sound of satisfaction and feel pleased to know the juice is to her liking.

We have had two cups of juice each and it is now time to eat. I reach into the basket again and pull out two plates, two forks and a larger container. It is made of the same materials as the other, which allows the heat to stay in. I much rather serve her hot spaghetti bolognese; it tastes a lot better that way. I open the container and find myself smiling for two reasons. The first is that the steam wafting from the food shows it is just as hot as if I had just finished cooking it. The most important reason for my smile is seeing the subtle ecstacy on _Mon Amour's___face upon the sight of the food I'd prepared. I will admit that I was surprised when she told me that spaghetti bolognese had become her favourite meal after tasting some I had brewed up mostly for ammunition. Needless to say, it was a pleasant surprise.

As the thought came to mind, I had dished some onto the first plate and added a fork before handing it to her. I have finished dishing up my serving, and we're both eating; again sharing content silence. After we've finished eating, it will be time for the surprises.

I can't help but chuckle at the look on My Lady's face as I bring out my flute. Her eyes are wide and she has covered her open mouth with her hands. "Outside of my family, you are the first to hear this. Not even the other Musketeers know of this." I lift the flute to my lips, inhale deeply and exhale into the mouth hole. I begin playing the song I had practised for days leading to this evening. My eyes close so I can focus on the song, but I open them briefly to see _Mon Amour_ sitting there with her eyes closed and a smile on her lips. I close my eyes again as I continue to put my feelings for her into the music I play.

I lower the flute and open my eyes as I hear gentle applause. She's still smiling, which brings a smile to my lips as I bow to her. "I am pleased you liked that." But, that is not the last surprise. I put my flute away before walking around the blanket once more so that I can once again be by her side. "My Lady, I have something I wish to ask of you, and pray that this will be what helps make this birthday one you'll forever keep as a cherished memory." I kneel before her and remove my hat before setting it on the grass beside me. I take her hand between my two and gaze into her eyes. I whisper her full name before I begin the speech I had planned. "Whenever I am with you, I am filled with such joy that words fail to express it. My love for you is deeper than the ocean and is endless like the sky. Having you in my life is a blessing, and I wish for our days together to be endless. I hold your heart just as you hold mine and it would make me the most fortunate man if we allow our hearts to intertwine. My Lady, _Mon Amour_...I wish to ask...would you grant me your hand in marriage? Would you grant us an eternity by each other's side? Will you be my wife? Will you marry me?" I notice conflicting emotions flitting across her face. "I have asked and been granted consent from Her Majesty and Captain de Treville to ask for your hand in marriage." The concern has left. My heart is racing as I await her response. "No matter what you say, I pledge unending love for you." I think I may be holding my breath. Am I shaking?

She opens her mouth and voices her response.

**After-note:**_** Okay, my friend. This is where I end the story, but the true conclusion is up to you. Please leave your response as a comment/review (depending on where you're reading this) if you want to.**_

_**For those who don't know, **__joyeaux anniversaire__** is how you say **__happy birthday__** in French. Please see the after-note in part one for the explanation of **__Mon Amour__**.**_

_**Right. Well, my friend. I hope you enjoyed reading this. I once again apologise for taking so long to get it done, though I guess better late than never, huh? Many happy returns!**_


End file.
